Albania’s Special Prosecution Office (SPAK) requested a four-year prison sentence for Vangjush Dako, the former mayor of Durrës, over corruption charges and alleged document forgery in two separate cases. The court was urged to find Dako guilty of abusing his office and allowing unauthorized construction projects during his tenure.
Dako, who has been under house arrest, would serve a reduced sentence of two years and eight months if convicted under the fast-track procedure, which lowers prison terms in exchange for a streamlined trial. The former mayor was not present at Tuesday’s court session.
Alongside Dako, SPAK also called for three-year prison terms for Fatmir Ejupi, a former municipal surveyor, as well as developer Fiqiri Farruku and Adrian Bulku. The latter two defendants could see their sentences suspended, serving four years under probation, pending a court ruling.
According to SPAK, Dako’s charges stem from allowing a building project to proceed without a proper permit, as well as document tampering related to a municipal project’s budget oversight. Investigators allege that Dako failed to correct budget calculation errors, leading to further mismanagement of public funds.
The high-profile case reflects a broader anti-corruption push by Albania’s SPAK, tasked with curbing financial misconduct and rooting out public sector corruption. The charges against Dako underscore the government’s commitment to holding public officials accountable for abuses of office.
